Festival Metro Metro!
This year, Festival Metro Metro runs May 19-21, 2023. Metro Metro is known to feature rap, hip-hop, and R&B artists.
And of course, you’re gonna want to fuel up between performances.
So today we wanted to get into all of the granular details on where to eat in Montreal.
Specifically, we get into where to find local fine dining establishments, where to take advantage of late-night menu prices at fancy bistros (expect to pay 50% less off of a late-night menu), and where to pick up foods that Montreal is famous for (poutine, smoked meat, and bagels), plus we list off some vegetarian spots (because French food can be quite heavy on all of the proteins ya know).
Let’s get into the Montreal dining scene:
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16 Places To Fuel Up In Montreal
Special Occasion Restaurants / Fine Dining
Damas
Known For: Syrian food and an unforgettable dining experience. Every.single.detail is well thought out. The food and atmosphere are incredible. You’ve never seen more beautiful traditional Syrian tiles than here. Seriously go for these details alone
Order: hot and cold mezzes for the table like the fattouch, hummus, falafels, rice, and anything from the grill
Location: 1201 Ave Van Horne, Outremont, Quebec H2V 1K4
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm
Toque!
Known For: this place received a Michelin star in 2020 for their French dishes inspired by Quebec ingredients
Order: if you plan on going all in, yes to ordering the tasting menu
Location: 900 Pl. Jean-Paul-Riopelle, Montréal, QC H2Z 2B2
Hours: open for lunch and dinner, closed Sunday and Monday
Au Pied De Cochon
Known For: head-to-tail cooking, hearty and comforting Quebec classic fare done in only the way this chef – Martin Picard – can. This is Anthony Bourdain’s buddy, Martin Picard’s restaurant. Watch a clip of from Parts Unknown that features this restaurant and the next one on this list here
Order: PDC dinner
Location: 536 Av. Duluth E, Montréal, QC H2L 1A9
Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 5:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Joe Beef
Known For: Quebec classic fare, steak, and seafood in an old-school setting
Order: lobster spaghetti
Location: 2491 Notre-Dame St W, Montreal, Quebec H3J 1N6
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday 5:00 pm to 10:30 pm
Late Night Menus
In Montreal, upscale restaurants Are Not Out Of Reach!
After 10 pm, you can fine dine at less than 50% off the main menu at certain fine dining bistros.
Here are a few spots to check out and take advantage of their late-night menus:
Estiatorio Milos
Known For: the best Greek taverna in Montreal
Location: 5357 Park Ave, Montreal, Quebec H2V 4G9
Hours: late-night menu runs from 10 p.m. to midnight, Thursday through Saturday
Ferreira Café
Known For: traditional and upscale Portuguese cuisine
Location: 1446 Peel St, Montreal, Quebec H3A 1S8
Hours: Late night menu – Monday to Saturday after 10:00 pm
Chez Victoire
Known For: contemporary French cuisine
Location: 1453 Mont-Royal Ave E, Montreal, Quebec H2J 1Z1
Hours: the late-night menu from 10:00 pm to midnight, 7 days a week
Leméac
Known For: popular French bistro
Location: 1045 Av. Laurier O, Outremont, QC H2V 2L1
Hours: the late-night menu from 10:00 pm to midnight
Vegetarian Restaurants
Lov (3 locations, see website)
Known For: a vegan restaurant specializing in comforting, nostalgic plant-based cuisine
Order: the mushroom risotto and kimchi fries are a must
Hours: open for brunch, lunch, and diner
Mandy’s (various locations, see website)
Known For: being the Quebec equivalent of SweetGreens
Order: we love the habibi salad (romaine lettuce, mixed greens, quinoa, parsley, mint, chickpeas, roasted sweet potato, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, feta)
Hours: Monday to Friday, 11:00 am to 9:00 pm, and Saturday and Sunday, 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Aux Vivre (2 locations, see website)
Known For: Montreal’s first vegan restaurant
Order: it’s got to be the dragon bowl with house sauce
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11:00 am to 10:00 pm
Institutions
Bagels
There is a longstanding rivalry between Fairmount, St. Viateur Bagels, and NYC-style bagels. Do not expect to an NYC-style bagel here. Expect a bagel that’s denser, thinner, chewier, and has a crispier exterior than NYC style bagel
Where to grab a Montreal-style bagel:
Fairmount Bagels
Location: 74 Fairmount West Montreal, QC, H2T 2M2
St. Viateur Bagels
Location: 263, rue St-Viateur O., Montréal, QC, H2V 1Y1
Smoked Meat Sandwich
Schwartz’s Deli
The legendary smoked meat house is known as one of the oldest smoked meat houses in Canada.
Tip: make sure you have enough time to wait in line. Lineups run at minimum of 30 minutes on a good day
Location: 3895 St Laurent Blvd, Montreal, Quebec H2W 1X9
Hours: 10:00 am until after 10:00 pm most days
Poutine
Poutine – a combination of French fries, gravy, and cheese curds – was invented in Quebec.
If you’ve tried poutine anywhere besides in Quebec, it’s not the same. Quebec-style poutine is made with “squeaky” cheese curds (cheese that has not yet been aged so quite fresh and it actually squeaks as you chew)
La Banquise
Known For: more than 30 types of poutine on the menu
Order: the classic poutine
Location: 994, rue Rachel Est, Montréal, Quebec, H2J 2J3
Hours: open 24 hours
Chez Claudette
Known For: comfort food like burgers, poutine, and a beer
Order: classic poutine
Location: 351 Laurier Ave E, Montreal, Quebec H2T 1G7
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm, and Friday to Sunday 11:00 am to 10:00 pm
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